2025 Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day Competition Calendar

Welcome! This is where you’ll find all the poetry competitions happening around the motu — from national challenges to local gems. Whether you're polishing a masterpiece or penning something new, this is your place to find where to submit your work.

We’ll be adding competitions regularly in the lead-up to National Poetry Day, so keep checking in. New opportunities to share your words — and maybe even win something — will appear here as they’re confirmed and as entries open.

Get ready to write, submit, and shine!

NATIONWIDE

Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook Student Poetry Competition 2025

Entries are now open for the annual Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook student poetry competition for 2025. Entries will be judged by Yearbook editor, Tracey Slaughter. The winning poems from each year group will be published in the 2026 edition, and all winners and placegetters receive a monetary prize and copy of Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2025. Their schools receive the 2024 edition for their school library. Please send us up to three previously unpublished original poems. Poems should be supplied in either Word or PDF format and can be of any length, style and subject matter.

Entry details: Free to enter. Open to all Year 11, Year 12 and Year 13 students attending a New Zealand school. Please indicate what year you are in and the name of your school in your entry.

Submission dates: Friday 16 May to Friday 27 June 2025

Contact: Please submit entries to editorial@masseypress.ac.nz

Further info: See submission guidelines in full on masseypress.ac.nz/news

Poems for Children written by Grown Ups: Competition!

In the lead-up to Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day 2025, the Poets XYZ are running a nationwide competition for adults who write poetry for primary-school-aged children.

Theme: All will be revealed on June 20 but in the meantime check out the 100-day poetry writing challenge running on the Poets XYZ facebook page. We will be picking our theme from the ones used in the challenge.

Judge: Renowned children’s writer and poet, Bill Nagelkerke

Entry details: Anyone aged 18+ living in Aotearoa New Zealand

Entry Fee: Free

Submission Dates: Opens 20 June 2025 | Closes midnight, Friday 1 August 2025

How to Enter: entry details will be posted on the facebook page

More Info: Visit the Poets XYZ facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093831234880)